Lieselotte Elfrieda Christa Almon

Lieselotte (“Lisa” or “Lelo”) Enders Almon (81), passed away on Friday, August 19, 2016 in Tempe, Arizona, after a 7-year battle with ovarian cancer. She was born on March 22, 1935 in Coburg, Germany to parents Berthold and Luise Heller Enders. Her mother died when Lisa was very young but she grew up with her father and two brothers, Ronald and Henry during the war-torn years of World War II. She attempted to escape to the West twice before she was successful. She worked as a maid for a U.S. Air Force officer once she reached West Germany.

Near the end of the Occupation Forces initial operations, she met and married Air Force crewman, J. Lewis Olsen from Safford, Arizona. They married on December 12, 1955 in Neubiberg, Germany. She immigrated to the United States, departing Bremerhaven, Germany and arriving in Brooklyn, New York, on March 25, 1956. She became a U.S. citizen February 21, 1962. Lisa and JL had two sons, Eric Lewis and Aaron Enders Olsen. They divorced in 1966.

She married John Bruce Almon in Phoenix, Arizona on June 28, 1969. Together, they raised Lisa’s two sons. She lost a newborn baby, Cynthia Christina, in 1970. It was a devastating loss from which she never truly recovered. She and Bruce lived in Tempe/Phoenix more than 47 years where they enjoyed a long, loving relationship as well as developing many friendships with neighbors and aquaintances.They also loved to escape the brutal Valley heat at their cabin "Little Siberia" on the Mogollon Rim during the summer.

Lisa enjoyed road trips to Sierra Vista where she and Bruce realized it was a lot cooler, and occasionally up to Idaho and Oregon to visit family and friends. She was a member of the Red Hat Society where she enjoyed socializing and having the opportunity to enhance her wardrobe with a few appropriately hued hats.

Lisa took pride in being a good German housewife. A spot or a drop never escaped her. Family knew better than to try to put a dish in the dishwasher, because hand washed was always better. She trained and worked as a beautician and in food service for several years, both as a young single mother in a new country and in the years after her sons had grown. She enjoyed meeting people, especially the students during her last job at the Lufthansa Training Center in Goodyear, Arizona. They allowed her to recall the part of her heart that always remained in Germany.

An important part of her home life was her dogs. While they had a way of “getting her German up”, they provided years of companionship. She loved Huskies and had a fascination for Wolves, but it was the “pound puppies” that found their way into her home and her heart. Her last dog, Chloe, proved to be a true companion in the final weeks.

Lisa is survived by her husband, John Bruce Almon, her sons Eric (Erin O'Dell) and Aaron (Tracey Nelson) Olsen. She enjoyed having three grandchildren, Jacob Lewis, Hannah Lee and Emily Krista Olsen who affectionately called her "Omi", the German word for grandma.

Mass will be held in Lisa’s name at 10:00A.M. at the Church of the Resurrection, 3201 S. Evergreen Rd. Tempe, Arizona. Family and friends are invited to attend Mass in celebration of her life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Lisa’s name to the Arizona Humane Society, 1521 W. Dobbins Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85041.